More Than Friends
by btvscharmedgirl
Summary: Sequel to Friends: Months after that terrible night, Hope struggles to keep her wolf in check.


Disclaimer: I do not own Legacies.

AN: Hey guys. This is the sequel to 'Friends.' If you haven't read it yet, you might want to, just so you can understand this fic better. Hope you like it.

More Than Friends

* * *

My skin is crawling.

I can feel my wolf fighting to break free. It's taking every ounce of my power to keep myself from shifting right here in the library. Josie is sitting across from me, watching me. I know she can feel my tension. It's hard to miss. I'm bouncing my legs so quickly, it's shaking the table.

I don't realize how tightly I'm gripping my pen until I feel the ink dripping down my hand. I look at it in surprise. I forget my own strength sometimes.

I'm out the door before Josie realizes I've left her. I'm already at the sinks, scrubbing away at the blue ink, when she comes in. I think I'm making it worse.

I feel her hand wrap around my wrist, but the words coming from her mouth are jumbled. The only thing I can hear is the running water.

An orange glow emits from the spot where her hand is still wrapped around mine, then suddenly the blue ink is gone. I stop, realizing she magicked the ink away for me, allowing myself a moment to relax.

"Thank you," I say quietly. I shut off the water and grab a few paper towels to dry my hands. I don't trust myself to dry them magically, like I normally would. I'm too tense. Too close to losing all control.

It's the full moon tonight, and the closer I get to the moons apex the more restless I become. Normally, I'm not this close to losing control, but since the night I nearly killed Josie, I have been abstaining from changing. I never want something like that to happen again.

Three months of not changing have made it harder for me to stay in control, however. For the first time since my first change, I can feel the wolf breaking free.

Josie's talking to me, but the words aren't processing in my mind. I have to change. I have to. If I don't, I'm going to lose control. I can't have that.

I think might be too late.

"Josie," I grunt, cutting off whatever she was saying. I'm gripping the sink so hard I'm afraid it's going to break. "Go get your father."

She's looking at me questioningly. I look at her, growling slightly. Fear crosses her features, and she backs up slowly, as though she's afraid I'm going to attack her. I look in the mirror and see that my eyes are golden, and my teeth are bared. I'm suddenly afraid that I am going to attack her.

"Go," I yell, which seems to have the desired effect. She turns around and flees the room.

I drop to the floor in pain. I'm fighting it, but it doesn't seem to be working. My bones begin breaking, and I grit my teeth as I choke down a scream. It normally doesn't hurt, but I normally allow the change to happen instead of fighting it.

I can hear my father's voice clearly in my mind, telling me not to fight it. To allow the change to happen. I can't though. I'm in the middle of the school full of people who I can hurt. My fingers extend and grow into claws. I dig them into the tiled floor, fighting to keep what little control I have left.

The door opens and I let out a growl, warning whoever is coming through that it's not safe. Footsteps continue approaching. I look up to see Alaric slowly approaching with a needle in his hand.

I involuntarily growl at him. My wolf sensing danger where there isn't any. He flinches but continues to advance. I can feel the needle enter my neck, then a searing pain courses through my veins. Then everything goes black.

I'm aware of voices echoing around me. Whispering frantically.

Josie. I can hear her voice the clearest. She's afraid. No. She's worried. I can hear her asking someone if I'm going to be okay? She talking to her dad. He's trying to reassure her, but even I can hear the worry in his voice.

I crack my eyes open, peering around unfamiliar surroundings. I'm in the cellar, of that I'm sure, but the room is not one I've been in before. I'm lying on the floor, which is dirt, unlike that of the other cells. Instead of bars, there is a single heavy wooden door, with a small opening, that has ancient looking bars covering it.

I can see Alaric through the slit. He's looking down at someone, whom I assume it's Josie.

"Doctor Saltzman," I say, gathering his attention.

"Hope," he says, and I cringe at his tone. It's his worried dad voice, mixed with his I am so disappointed with you voice.

I stand and go over to the door. "Where am I?"

"It's part of the original structure. Before we built the transition spaces," he says, and then opens the door. "We were out of room."

Josie pushes past her father and instantly wraps her arms around my neck. I relax, allowing myself a moment of comfort, before I push her away. She looks at me with hurt written in her eyes. "It's not safe," I say.

"Josie," Alaric says. "It's past curfew. Why don't you head to bed? You can see Hope in the morning."

Josie looks like she wants to argue, but she turns back to me and grabs my hand. "I'll see you in the morning," she promises, then pushes past Alaric.

A moment after Josie leaves, Emma walks in, looking weary. I can understand her hesitance. She's walking into a cell, with an unstable tribrid. I'd be hesitant too if I were in her position. "How are you feeling?" she asks.

"I'm fine," I answer, though I'm not sure that I am. I feel okay, but I can still feel the effects of whatever was in the syringe. We've never discussed the possibility of having to put me down, though in hindsight it should have been something we discussed regularly. "What did you inject me with?"

"A concentrated mixture of vervain and wolfbane," he answers cautiously. "I had it concocted after your parents died. Just to be safe."

"How'd you know it would work?"

"I didn't," he admits.

I don't know if I am angry at him for creating something without my knowledge and injecting it without knowing how I would react to it, or grateful that he had. I know there is a part of him that doesn't trust me. It's the same part that remembers how my father killed his girlfriend and the woman he thinks of as a daughter. I've read his views on Niklaus Mikaelson, and I've read the memoirs my father compelled Cami to write. I understand why he is hesitant to let himself fully trust me, and in a way, I am grateful that he can't.

I'm feeling tired, worn. A feeling that I'm not familiar with. I think it's because of the concoction Alaric shot me with. I turn around and head towards the back wall, sitting down on the dirt floor. I put my head in my hands. The drug is making me feel hazy. I can feel my wolf just under the surface, clawing to get out, but I can feel a barrier stopping it.

"How long until the effects of the wolfbane and Vervain wear off?"

"I don't know," he answers. I can hear the fear in his voice, but I'm not sure if her is frightened by me or for me. "We're going to bring a cot in here for the night. Tomorrow we'll move you to one of the transition spaces."

I look up at him, and I see the regret on his face.

"How long?"

He coughs before he answers. "Until we are sure you won't lose control in the middle of the school again."

I growl, but don't say anything. I know he's right. I know that this is what is best for everyone. I can feel the fog slowly lifting. "You should go," I tell them.

Emma looks eager to leave. I don't blame her. She's not used to dealing with a wolf who can change at random. I'm the only Crescent Wolf at the school now. Most of the crescents prefer to keep their kids at home in the bayou.

"Don't bother with the cot," I tell him. I know once the herbs were off, I'll start to shift again, only this time I won't fight the change. I know I am safe here in the cellar, but if they try to come in to bring a cot, they won't be. "The herbs are wearing off. You should go."

Alaric walks towards me and kneels in front of me. "I don't know what is going on Hope, but I'm here for you. I'll be outside if you need anything."

I don't know what to say to him. He's being all fatherly again. I know he cares, but he reminds me of what I no longer have. I don't have my father to kneel in front of me, talking me through this. He'd probably be asking me why I'm holding back? Why I'm not embracing my true nature, instead of fighting against it?

He's gone before I have a chance to say anything. I can hear him outside the door, shuffling around, while whispering to Emma. I can't hear what he's saying, and I know his shuffling is meant to mask his voice.

I can feel the herbs wearing off and my wolf at the forefront again. I won't fight against changing this time. I stand up and take my rings and necklaces off, tucking them safely into my pants pockets. Then I strip off my clothing, yelling a warning to Alaric not to look in as I do so.

When the herbs completely wear of, I allow myself the freedom to change. I allow the wolf to take over all my senses, relishing in the feeling. I love being in wolf form. There is nothing else better than running beneath the stars. The dirt and grass under my paws. My doggy friends in the woods, and for the past three months I have been denying my wolf that freedom. I have been denying myself that freedom.

It's no wonder I lost control.

I lose all sense of time after I shift. I can hear Alaric outside the door as I pace in circles, occasionally, throwing myself at the door. I'm happy to be free from my human skin, but I still feel trapped inside this cellar. I still crave the freedom to run in the forest with Lila and her family of dogs.

At some point I feel something stab me in the neck, then everything fades into nothing. When I regain consciousness, I am no longer in the old cellar. I am lying on the bed in one of the werewolf transition spaces, still in wolf form.

The first thing I notice is the same sweet scent that over took my senses all those months ago. I eagerly rise in search of the scent, knowing it will lead me to Josie. She's sitting outside the cell's door. In front of the door sits two bowls, one full of water, the other full of beef stew. It smells so amazing, though not as amazing as she does.

I venture over to the bowls, staring at Josie the whole time. She looks happy to see me awake, and gently pushes the bowl with stew in it closer. She doesn't remove her hand until I begin eating, a small sign that she isn't afraid that I will hurt her. It warms my heart knowing I have her trust, though I am cautious because I don't want to hurt her.

She cautiously raises her hand and pets my head. I growl, warning her that I am dangerous. Her hand never stops, it doesn't even flinch. She trusts me wholly. I finish my meal and drink every drop of water in the second bowl. Then, stick my muzzle through the bars to lick Josie's arm. The only way I know how to thank her.

I lay down and watch her through the bars. She begins talking to me. Telling me everything that happened last night. My near change in the bathroom is all anyone can talk about. That doesn't surprise me. Gossip runs through this school like hell fire. Rapidly and hard to put out.

After she tells me everything being said about me, she goes on about what MG and Penelope are doing to combat the rumors. I know it's a futile mission, but it's still nice to know they are trying. My avenger's squad has my back.

I know she's trying to comfort me, but even her presence can't sate the need I feel to run. To escape this prison and run free in the woods. I try to change back into my human form, but my subconscious won't allow this to happen.

Alaric shows up sometime later, to send Josie back to class. She argues with him, but he wins out. She leaves with the promise to return.

He looks at me with worry. "Are you okay?" he asks.

I growl in response. I won't be okay until I am free. Free from this cell, free to run wild in the woods, free to return to my human form.

He looks upset and worried. I understand why. I have impressive control over my wolf than most, but here I am, stuck in wolf form.

"I don't know what to do here Hope," he says, and I growl again.

I run at the door, throwing myself at it with every once of power I have. Which is much more than an average wolf. The bars rattle against my force, but they don't break. The cells are reinforced with magic. A safety feature added a few years before when a natural born alpha broke free during his first transition.

I'm not trying to break free though. I am hoping that he understands what I want.

"No. I'm sorry Hope. I can't let you out until we're sure you aren't a threat anymore," he says.

I growl louder and throw myself at the door again. This time out of anger. He backs up in fear.

"I'm sorry Hope," he says. I can hear the sincerity in his voice. "We don't know why you lost control, or why you won't turn back. Emma is looking into the possibility of a spell or curse being cast upon you. We should know soon. Until then, try and relax."

I growl again in annoyance.

He leaves me alone to pace in silence. My annoyance is growing with each passing moment. I want out, and the longer I am trapped, the more my reasoning slips away. I don't care about protecting everyone in the school. I don't care if I hurt someone. I just want out.

Josie returns with more food and some of my things. The blanket off my bed, it still smells like her, a remnant of our recent sleepover. She has my iPod and docking station, and the book I've been reading to her.

She magically swaps the food bowls out, and then fills the water bowl back up. As I eat, she turns the iPod on and plays classical jazz. The music that calms me the best. I sometimes think she knows me better than I do. She pets my head as I finish, and I no longer growl as she does so. She trusts me, so I put my trust in her.

I push the empty bowls to the side and lay down as close to them as I can. She's reading from the book, softly and comfortingly. It lures me into a calm that I haven't felt in days. She stays with me through the night, though Alaric tried to send her back to her room again. She argued with him until he finally gave in and drug a cot outside the doors.

When I wake again, Josie is gone, but there are fresh bowls of food and water and my music is still playing softly. I spend the morning trying to turn back, but the more I try the more agitated I become. When Josie returns with more food, I am throwing myself at the brick walls. I know I can't get through, but it doesn't stop me from trying.

She yells at me, and when I don't listen, she halts my attempts magically. It defeats the purpose when I crash into a wall of pillows. I walk towards the door, growling with each step.

Josie doesn't flinch at my anger, instead she kneels. "Hope, it's okay." She looks around then whispers, "I know you want out. You want to go play with you friends. Can you promise you won't attack anyone, if I help you get out?"

I lay down, then howl, hoping she'll understand. I'll do whatever she wants me to, if it means I can run free.

I hear the clicking sound to the lock before I realize she whispered the words. She steps back and the door slowly swings open. I rise and take a step forward. She kneels before me and rubs at my ears.

"I'm going to cloak you, so you have to be really quiet. I've only just learned this spell. If you try and hurt someone, I'll stop you. Okay?" I nod my head. She whispers the spell and I feel the magic engulf me. She moves to the side and allows me to pass.

We quietly make our way outside, watching carefully for anyone who could thwart our plans. Lizzie catches us as we were just at the doors. Josie talk to her for a few moments while I sit next to her quietly waiting. Josie's spell is working beautifully, but I think she is more impressed by restraint.

She stops when we reach the tree where I nearly killed her months before. She whispers the chant to lift the spell, and I can feel the magic lift. I howl at her, showing her my glee at being free. She smiles at me and tells me to run, and I do just that.

I run towards the little house I built for my dog friends during the time I was abstaining from turning. I missed them so I began taking food to them every day. There was a week where we had bad storms, and I couldn't get to them. They were out in the rain though, and it was that thought that lead me to building them a safe home to live in. It took me a month and a half to build, sometimes spending all night working on it. They seem happy to have a dry place to sleep.

I peek into the door looking for my friends, but there aren't there. I sniff for strong scent to follow which leads me to the creek that runs just south of where I built their home. I sit at the top of the hill, and howl to gather their attention.

They turn and I lock eyes on Lila, my favorite of the pack. I can see the surprise in her eyes. It's been so long since she's seen me in my wolf form. I can see her eyes light up with happiness. She darts up the hill towards me, leaping through the air, crashing into me. We roll down the hill together, dropping into the shallow creek.

The others play with us today. We play a large game of tag in the woods, before Lila and I go on the hunt. We capture a small deer for dinner, then curl up together under the stars. It's a clear night, not a cloud in the sky. I relish in this freedom.

I smell Josie before I hear her coming and get up to meet her half way. I no longer fear hurting her. She trusts me wholeheartedly, and I trust that she would never put her life in danger for no reason.

She walks right up to me and begins petting my head. I lean my head into the comforting touch. She drops the bag she's carrying and sits on the ground.

"Dads angry with me," she says. I whine to show my displeasure and lay my head on her thigh. She strokes my head as she talks. "He flipped when he found the cell empty. I don't think I have ever seen him so mad. Not even that time I tried to set Lizzie on fire when we were kids. He's lectured me for an hour, before sending me to me room with explicit instructions not to come into the woods. What he doesn't know won't hurt him."

She pauses, and I feel a tear drop on my nose. I look up to see tears falling from her beautiful eyes. "I overheard Emma telling Dad that she's certain you haven't been cursed. She says you've been depressed, which confused me because I've spent more time with you lately than Lizzie. But then she told Dad that you haven't changing because you are afraid to hurt me again. Then it hit me. Hope you love being a wolf. I love when you talk about what it feels like. The way you speak about it, it's so poetic. Sometimes, I wonder why you don't just leave and live as a wolf."

She pauses again, sniffling lightly as she wipes away your tears. "You were telling me, without really telling me. How sad you have been, and I've been too self-involved to notice. I've been so consumed with keeping my crush a secret from you, that I haven't even noticed that you've been struggling. I'm so sorry, Hope."

I'm shocked by her admission, but I want nothing more than to comfort her. I want her to know that she didn't miss anything. That I've been hiding my struggle because I didn't want to hurt her. That, when I'm with her I feel at ease, just for a little while. That I too have been harboring feelings for her that I have been too afraid to admit.

I step back and let out a gut-wrenching howl, and as though the howl broke whatever mental block I had put into place, I shift back into my human form. Josie looks at me for a moment in shock, before averting her eyes. She hands me the bag she brought with.

I open it to find a change of clothing, and quickly change. I feel weird being back in my own skin, but the tension I've been feeling build for months is gone. I feel like I can breathe again.

I kneel beside her and brush my fingers against her cheek. She looks at me, and for a moment we look into each other's eyes. "You have nothing to apologize for, Josie. I should have told you what was going on. I should have been honest with you about a lot of things."

"I've been hiding things as well," Josie says. "I should have been a better friend."

"You have been an amazing friend," I tell her. I grasp her hand in between mine and kiss her knuckles. I want to do more, but I don't think she will appreciate the taste of blood that is still lingering in my mouth. "You have been an amazing friend," I repeat. "Every minute with you has been a gift. Please don't blame yourself for what goes on in my head."

She relaxes and smiles at me. "I guess we need to talk," she says with a chuckle. Her laugh makes my heart skip a beat. "Not right now though. Are you okay? Are you feeling better?"

"Yeah," I tell her, and it's the truth. I feel much better. Better than I have in months. "We should get you back before your father realizes your not in you bed." I stand and take her hand.

"I'd rather spend the night with you," she says. "If that's alright with you."

I smile. "Of course."

"Are you feeling better though. No more struggle for control?"

"No, I feel whole again," I answer.

She seems satisfied with my answer, and we begin our walk home. I carry the bag she brought with her and take her hand as we walk. She gives mine a comforting squeeze. Silence consumes as, not breaking again until after we were safely in my dorm.

I duck out to take a shower and brush my teeth. When I return, she's already in her pjs, she keeps a few sets of clothing here since she spends so much time here. My room has become less of mine and more of mixture of ours. Not that I mind, it's been amazing having her here, though I don't think this is what Alaric had in mind when he told me to make a friend.

Josie has pretty much joined me in my comfort zone instead of trying to take me out. It's one of the reasons why I like her so much. Yes, we spend time with Lizzie, who has become less of an annoyance then before. She still is grates on my nerves but getting alone with her has become easier since we've both stopped provoking each other.

To sate Alaric's incessant need to make me a wellrounded teenager, I've also begun hanging out with MG and Penelope more. Josie isn't fond of my friendship with her, but she doesn't say anything about it. It may have something to do with Pen backing off on her pursuits of making Lizzie's, and therefore Josie's, life hell.

MG and Penelope rarely hang in my room though. My room has been my sanctuary while I've attended the school. The only person whom I feel comfortable enough to allow in here at length is Josie.

She's in bed already and for the first time since that very awkward first sleepover, I hesitate to climb in next to her. Things are different now. Now that we've each admitted our feelings for each other are more than just friends. We need to talk, but I can't bring myself to break the silence.

Tomorrow we can talk. For tonight I crawl in next to her and let her lay her head on my shoulder. She lets out a soft sigh and snuggles close. She drifts off to sleep quickly, while I lay listening to her breath. It's comforting.

As I wait for my mind to rest, I marvel at how differently my life is now, then it was just few months before. Instead of picking fights with Josie, she is now my friend, possibly more. How quickly life can change. I roll over and snuggle closer to Josie, enjoying what might be the last time we share the same bed for a while.


End file.
